2008 Woodie Awards
A spooktacular guide to some ghostly fun around town
Sarah Altmeyer
Issue date: 10/31/03 Section: HAUNTED HUNTINGTON
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It's getting darker outside and dead leaves rustle under feet. The wind blows cold and jack-o-lanterns flash spooky looks. It's time for Halloween. It's time for ghost stories.
Rumors hint of a haunted Huntington.
Among the haunted places in Huntington are Colonial Lanes and River Park Hospital.
Colonial Lanes and Rebels and Redcoats Tavern
The ghost of one businessman has been spotted haunting a local bowling alley and restaurant.
Colonial Lanes, a bowling alley located at 626 Fifth St. West is connected to the restaurant, Rebels and Redcoats Tavern.
Peewee Stanley, a server at Rebels and Redcoats Tavern, said she started working at the restaurant in 1969 and has continued working there since.
"Peewee is part of the wood-work. She is one of the oldest employees here," Wanda Caldwell, a front desk attendant at Colonial Lanes, said.
Stanley said Colonial Lanes opened in 1958. Back then, Rebels and Redcoats was just a beer tavern. The tavern received its liquor license in 1967, and became Rebels and Redcoats, Stanley said.
Stanley said rumors that Colonial Lanes and Rebels and Redcoats were haunted started when Mr. Frankel, one of the owners of the complex, passed away.
Stanley said Frankel was always working and was a great boss who really cared about his business. He was a friendly person and he always would introduce himself to the customers.
Stanley said after Frankel died, staff members reported many unexplainable incidents. Stanley said after closing the restaurant, staff reported chairs moving on the top of the tables when no one was around.
She said employees would see the kitchen door open and slam shut. A swinging door would open as if someone was walking through it, but no one would be there. According to The Shadowlands (http://theshadowlands.net/ghost), a ghost-hunting Web site, this ghost is characterized by a woman whispering.
Employees believe that Frankel is haunting Rebels and Redcoats Tavern and the lanes, Stanley said.
Stanley said once Frankel's son took over the complex, employees have not reported any more incidents. "I have not seen anything unexplainable for the past 15 to 16 years," Stanley said.
River Park Hospital
River Park Hospital, located at 1230 Sixth Ave., has not always been a psychiatric hospital. The building started as an orthopedics hospital in 1923, then it became the Huntington Hospital before finally becoming the River Park Hospital.
"I was walking down the hallway on the fifth floor and the hair on the back of my neck stood straight up and I had the most overwhelming feeling shoot straight through my body," Donna Swiger, a registered nurse who has worked at River Park Hospital for 10 years, said. "My shift supervisor turned to me and said I just had my first experience with Edith."
Jennifer McVey-Holley, director of community relations at River Park Hospital, said the employees have reported strange sightings at the hospital. McVey-Holley said the staff is convinced a ghost named Edith haunts the hospital.
Edith Miller, a registered nurse, helped start the hospital in 1923.
Employees at the hospital said Edith is a friendly ghost and she is just checking to see if everything is running smoothly.
Some of the employees said they find it eerie when the elevator doors open when no one is in sight.
McVey-Holley said she hears various reports from employees about cold spots in the hospital, which often feel like a human presence. She said other reports, such as hearing someone walk down the hallway only to find no one is there and lights turning on and off have mysteriously occurred.
McVey-Holley said most employees report incidents on the fifth floor, where Edith's office was located.
Swiger said Edith's office is now where the record room is located. The nurse supervisors used to use Edith's room as their office, Swiger said. The supervisors did not stay in the room for long. They moved into a different room because they reported that they could feel Edith's presence.
McVey-Holley said Edith is not interested in hurting anyone. Edith is a positive spirit because she is looking out for all the employees.
McVey-Holley said, in a joking manner, everyone knows about Edith. She said the hospital should have an orientation program for the new employees to prepare them for their first experience with the ghost.